Viagra today is likely the most famous drug treating erectile dysfunction. This medicine is notable for its effectiveness, so there is nothing strange in that it has a fairly high price. The action of Viagra tablets on men is aimed to increase blood flow to genitals, and this, accordingly, improves erection. How to take this drug?
Presentation
The drug is available in the form of tablets, the main active ingredient of which is sildenafil citrate. The content of this component may be different – 25, 50 and 100 mg in one tablet. The composition of the Viagra tablet also includes various auxiliary substances, for example, calcium hydrogen phosphate, crystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, etc.
First of all, you must remember that these tablets are intended exclusively for oral use. They need to be drunk with a sufficient amount of water. It is recommended to take the medicine at least an hour before the alleged sexual contact. The presence of generics on the markets allows picking a custom-made dose for every patient’s needs, starting from lower doses going all the way up to strong formula pills containing 150mg / 200mg of sildenafil.
Variation of Doses and Their Specifics
The duration of action of the tablet will depend on the characteristics of the man’s body and the presence of substances in it that can neutralize the effect of sildenafil. Viagra is available in tablets of 25, 50 and 100 mg. The selection of the right dose is usually done by trial and error. Find out your optimal dosage for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. If you determine the dose that is right for you, you can save by buying tablets with a double amount of the active ingredient and dividing them in half. Since we are all different, the recommended starting dose will almost inevitably be marginal for some patients, but may be completely insufficient for others. Working with your doctor, you will choose the best option. For example, if you took the recommended starting dose for Viagra, and it did not give the desired results, then you should go to the next higher dosage. However, if the recommended initial dose caused the expected effect in record time, but left you with a headache or other unpleasant side effect, then it is advisable to reduce the dosage with subsequent administration. Here, you can uncover the truth about Viagra doses containing 150mg and even 200mg of sildenafil.
The optimal dose, which is usually prescribed to most patients, is 50mg per day. That is, one tablet will be enough. If erectile dysfunction is not overly pronounced, a patient can reduce the dosage to 25mg. Dividing the pill will help you reduce the cost of ED medications, most of which are sold in tablet form. If on the contrary, the effectiveness of the drug is not the same as expected, it is allowed to increase the dose to 100mg. It should be remembered that 100 mg per day is the maximum dosage. Older men should not chase the momentary result and use a recommended dosage of 50mg once a day. Patients with sexual problems who have been diagnosed an impaired liver function and/or renal failure, should take no more than 25 mg per day.
Instructions for use of Viagra tablets states that while taking Ritonavir, the optimal dosage of sildenafil must be reduced to 25 mg per day. An agent to combat impotence can be taken even if the patient is undergoing treatment with antibiotics, for example, ketoconazole, erythromycin, itraconazole, etc. More detailed information on this issue should be obtained from your doctor.
If a man does not get the expected result after taking a selected dose, consult your doctor. The latter should help to determine the dose that will provide a patient with the maximum effect.
- Do not take Viagra at a dose exceeding the one a doctor has prescribed;
- If, in your opinion, you need to increase the dose of Viagra, check with your doctor.
- Viagra should be taken no oftener than 1 time per day.
Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of Viagra, for example:
- If you have a severe kidney or liver disease, your doctor will recommend starting with the lowest dose (25 mg) of the drug.
- If you are taking protease inhibitors used to treat HIV infection, your doctor may recommend a dose of 25mg and may limit your intake of Viagra to a maximum single dose of 25mg for 48 hours.
- If you have problems with prostate gland or high blood pressure, and you are taking alpha-blockers in this regard, your doctor may recommend starting Viagra with a lower dose.
- If you are taking inhibitors of the CYP3A4 isoenzyme, your doctor may recommend starting Viagra with the lowest dose.
Administration and Posology of Viagra
A selected dose of Viagra should be taken about 1 hour before planned sex. About 30 minutes after taking a pill and for up to 4 hours, Viagra will help a man achieve an erection accompanied by sexual arousal. Viagra can be taken regardless of the meal. If you take the medicine after a fatty meal, the drug will have a delayed effect. Drinking alcohol can temporarily impair erection ability.
To get the maximum effect from taking the medicine, it is not recommended to consume a large amount of alcohol before taking Viagra. The drug will help you achieve an erection only with sexual arousal. Vi is ineffective in the absence of sexual stimulation.
Application and Warnings
According to Viagra instructions for use, it is indicative to patients who suffer from various disorders of sexual function. These disorders can be expressed with the inability to maintain an erection or achieve ejaculation for a long time. In no case should a man use this drug for the treatment of other diseases of genitourinary system – this will not give any desired result, on the contrary, it can worsen the situation.
Like any other pharmacological agent, Viagra has certain contraindications, which are strongly discouraged to be ignored:
- it is forbidden to take tablets in combination with substances that have a hypotensive effect, that is, lower blood pressure;
- tablets for men Viagra cannot be combined with other medicinal products, even if they are aimed at restoring sexual functions, including potency;
- if there is an individual intolerability to the components of the drug, as well as to sildenafil (the main active substance);
- if a man is under the age of 18.
There is also a list of cases when you can use this drug, but do this with extreme caution. This primarily concerns people with arterial hypertension or hypotension. Heart failure, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris and other pathologies of cardiovascular system that have occurred over the past year also pose a potential danger to men taking Viagra.
Caution is strongly recommended for pathologies that can potentially provoke priapism, as well as for stomach ulcers or duodenal ulcers. It must be borne in mind that the instruction of Viagra tablets warns that it can be dangerous to use the drug for diseases that may be accompanied by bleeding. An important warning is the anatomical features of the genital organ. If it is deformed, too sharp an influx of a large volume of blood can provoke its mechanical damage.
Recommendations
Before taking Viagra, a man needs to understand that it is first necessary to establish the exact cause of erectile dysfunction. This drug is able to cope with physiological provoking factors only. Psychological problems are solved in a completely different way.
Cardiovascular diseases belong to the group of pathologies in which sexual activity is undesirable. Excessive load on a sick heart can lead to a sharp increase or decrease in blood pressure, arrhythmia or angina pectoris, and even to difficult situations such as myocardial infarction, hemorrhagic stroke, and sudden cardiac arrest. Patients who take alpha-blockers should be wary of taking Viagra. In fact, such a combination of sildenafil and these substances can trigger the development of symptomatic hypotension.
If a patient has previously noted a phenomenon such as ischemic neuropathy of optic nerve, administration of this drug can provoke relapse, although this is extremely rare. A man who takes Viagra should understand that it is able to lower blood pressure and blur vision. Accordingly, a patient needs to take into account his type of activity, current occupation, and other important factors that may affect the safety of both the citizen himself and those around him.
Of particular danger is an overdose. Contrary to popular belief, an excess of the concentration of the active substance in blood can provoke a number of side-effects. The more sildenafil in organism, the more pronounced symptoms of an overdose. This suggests that with the best will in the world, Viagra cannot be included in the list of pharmacological preparations that are completely safe for human health.
Viagra Adverse Effects
Viagra can cause a series of severe side-effects is administered without a due regard to contraindications in its instruction to use, such as:
- palpitations, which are accompanied by a visible decrease in blood pressure. In some cases, nosebleeds may occur;
- Blood rushes to the face, a person may faint as well. These are all manifestations of the cardiovascular system;
- Development of an allergic reaction, for example, a rash appears on the skin;
- Inflammation of nasal mucosa, which is accompanied by copious discharge;
- Occurrence of a headache, a patient feels severe dizziness. Thus, the nervous system responds to an excess of sildenafil;
- Gastrointestinal tract also suffers – vomiting and a constant feeling of nausea are possible;
- Eye pain, blurred vision, change in sensitivity to light. Eyes begin to perceive colors and shades in a completely different way. Eyeballs blush noticeably;
- Erection becomes unnaturally long, which causes not only physical, but also moral inconvenience, and may require the use of special medications to reduce potency. A prolonged stay of blood in genitals can result in the development of stagnant processes.
The dosage and use of Viagra are calculated exclusively by an attending physician. It is strictly forbidden to prescribe this drug for oneself. According to the instructions, it is desirable to store one of the most famous means for combating male sexual dysfunction in a dry place inaccessible to children, which is reliably protected from direct sunlight. Shelf life is five years.
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